Theater History Symposium

44th Mid-America Theatre Conference

March 7-10, 2024

The Pyle Center, UW-Madison

Madison, Wisconsin

 

Theatre History Symposium—Call for Papers

Click this link for a downloadable PDF of the CFP:  MATC Theatre History 2024 CFP

Going themeless this year is a little bit like being handed a mic at an improv club. Themes, like scripts, can be comfortable. They provide guidance and a framework, or at the very least, fodder for witty title puns. A theme can inspire, but it can also limit. Often, the ephemeral framework of the conference theme shapes the work rather than the other way around. This year, the Theatre History Symposium invites you to come as you are. We are seeking proposals for projects that discuss, debate, theorize, and/or challenge all aspects of theatre history, including (but not limited to) work that:

  • Analyzes any facet of theatrical or performance events with historical significance.
  • Theorizes historically significant  performance trends, techniques, and philosophies.
  • Engages with historiography in relation to theatre and performance history.
  • Thinks creatively and against dominant narratives of theatre and performance history.

We seek to break down the barriers that constrain the form and content of work that is deemed conference-worthy, and we invite you to take part in a little well-behaved academic anarchy!

Please submit individual and/or full panel proposals by Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at 11:59pm EST via the online form available here. Be prepared to include:

  • An abstract of up to 250 words that includes a title.
  • A brief biography for each presenter.
  • Any audiovisual requests for your presentation (please note that we cannot guarantee AV support, but we will do our best to accommodate requests).

We specifically encourage:  

  • Submissions by members of minoritized/marginalized groups.  
  • Research and presentations that challenge traditional norms of conference paper presentations. Some potential formats to propose include papers, co-authored presentations, full panel, roundtable discussions, workshops, performances, etc. 

Please note: Applicants may participate in up to two symposia. This limit is put in place to provide more individuals the opportunity to present and to limit scheduling conflicts. 

Symposium Co-Chairs:

Allison Gibbes, PhD, Utah Tech University

Dennis Sloan, PhD, DePauw University

Please email the Symposium Co-Chairs at theatre_history@matc.us with any questions.


Robert A. Schanke Award 

The Robert A. Schanke Research Award is given annually to an untenured faculty presenter in the Theatre History Symposium and carries a cash award of $500 and consideration for publication in Theatre History Studies, the Mid-America Theatre Conference journal. 

For consideration, submit the full, conference-length version of your paper to the co-chairs at the email address above by Saturday, February 10, 2024 at 11:59pm EST. 


The Mid-America Theatre Conference commits to advancing intersectional equity, inclusivity, and diversity; creating a conference that is welcoming and fully accessible; and to disrupting the ongoing damage of white supremacy within MATC and the broader academic and theatrical worlds. As part of this effort, we highly encourage a broad range of submissions by presenters or about theatre of historically disenfranchised and underrepresented populations, particularly those of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities. To request specific conference accommodations, please contact our Accessibility Officer at access@matc.us. MATC prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind, including during all associated meetings, the annual conference sessions, and within publications. For MATC’s full statement on anti-racism, accessibility, and inclusivity please see our website at http://matc.us.